President-elect Donald Trump announced he has picked Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk and entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to “lead the Department of Government Efficiency.”
In a press release from the Trump-Vance transition team, Trump praised Musk and Ramaswamy as being “wonderful Americans” who would “pave the way” for his administration to “dismantle Government Bureaucracy” and “slash excess regulations.”
“I am pleased to announce that the Great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency (‘DOGE’). Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies — Essential to the ‘Save America’ Movement,” Trump said in his statement.
🚨STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
— Karoline Leavitt (@kleavittnh) November 13, 2024
Let’s go, @elonmusk @VivekGRamaswamy! pic.twitter.com/YKT1V1UBVR
The press release continued:
It will become, potentially, “The Manhattan Project” of our time. Republican politicians have dreamed about the objectivies of “DOGE” for a very long time. To drive this kind of drastic change, the Department of Government Efficiency will provide advice and guidance from outside of Governnment, and will partner with the White House and Office of Management & Budget to drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.
I look forward to Elon and Vivek making changes to the Federal Bureaucracy with an eye on efficiency and, at the same time, making life better for all Americans. Importantly, we will drive out the massive waste and fraud which exists throughout our annual $6.5 Trillion Dollars of Government Spending. They will work together to liberate our Economy, and make the U.S. Government accountable to “WE THE PEOPLE.” Their work will conclude no later than July 4, 2026 – A small Government, with more efficiency and less bureaucracy, will be the perfect gift to America on the 250th Anniversary of The Declaration of Independence. I am confident they will succeed!
In August, Musk revealed that he would be willing to work in Trump’s administration, sharing what appeared to be an AI-generated photo of himself at what appeared to be a podium with the words, “D.O.G.E.”
Underneath were the words, “Department of Government Efficiency.”
During a conversation on X between Musk and Trump, Musk brought up the idea of a “government efficiency commission,” that would cut down on government waste, and offered to “help out” on the commission.
“I think it would be great to just have a government efficiency commission that takes a look at these things and just ensures that the taxpayer money, the taxpayers’ hard-earned money, is spent in a good way,” Musk said. “And I’d be happy to help out on such a commission if it were formed.”
